Contest launched to design ‘Britain’s Future Home’

The Sunday Times British Homes Awards, in partnership with the AJ and sponsored by Homebase, has launched an open competition to design a ‘new model’ for flexible housing

As many as 15 units of the winning design, set to allow ‘occupants to maintain a 21st century lifestyle as they grow older’, will be constructed on the Lower Mill Estate in Cirencester. A prototype of the design is also planned to be displayed at one of UK’s home interest trade shows.

Open to all UK registered the architects, the ‘Britain’s Future Home’ competition responds to the Future Homes Commission’s call for minimum national standards for space, storage, noise insulation and natural light.

According to the brief: ‘The winning design will present a new model for multiple life-stage living. It should have the flexibility to adapt to different stages of life – the student house, the family dwelling, a home to grow older in. It will be beautiful, environmentally smart and offer a healthy environment for a population that lives longer and spends more time at home.’

Proposals for the three-storey, 250m² detached dwelling should include two occupancy scenarios (such as family and retiree use) and an indication of construction cost.

A judging panel chaired by Cabe’s Paul Finch will shortlist ten schemes, to be revealed in July, with the winner to be selected by Sunday Times readers and announced in October.

All shortlisted designs will feature in the newspaper and in a special AJ issue.

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